Waterdeep: Dragon Heist - Epilogue
by Raphael Comet
Summary: An epilogue to the Waterdeep: Dragon Heist campaign that features Kaz and Reese. Reese and Kaz are my OCs while everyone else belongs to their respective owners.


**Waterdeep: Dragon Heist - Epilogue**

In the time after being honored for his distinguished service to the city of Waterdeep, Reese continued as a detective for the City Watch as if nothing had changed. He continued to take on jobs like normal and didn't want to be treated any differently because of his newfound fame. He had a renewed sense of motivation and had a clear goal in mind: to bring back Kaz from the dead.

Reese consolidated all his wealth and pay from the City Watch into a back-up fund, just in case Lady Silverhand fell through and he had to fund Kaz' resurrection on his own. He did everything he could to help Lady Silverhand in her efforts, remaining on the lookout for a powerful enough spellcaster to perform the resurrection spell. She gave him periodic reports and continued to tell him not to worry and that she'd handle it. Reese did his best not to worry, but planned for the worst case scenario anyway.

As time dragged on, and after doing several tasks for the Open Lord with no progress being made towards his goal, Reese's resolve began to waiver. The days turned to weeks then into months as he heard no definitive news about Kaz's resurrection. Because of this, his depression continued to sink in and take hold, crippling his energy levels and sociability. He became cold to his peers and unsympathetic to the world around him. He began to get more numb towards his emotions, eventually becoming a mere husk of his former self. The proverbial carrot was continually dangled in front of him with no clear end in sight. He did his best to keep Kaz in his thoughts, but it only made him feel worse as he continued to trudge on.

Eventually, Reese finally caught a break one day as the Open Lord's advisor paid him a visit at the station. It was midday and he was at his desk when the advisor came by to tell him the good news. He told him that Lady Silverhand had received word from an acquaintance of hers from a distant land, a very powerful and capable cleric who was capable of performing the resurrection spell. The cleric told her he'd be delighted to provide assistance and would be in Waterdeep within a month or so. In the meantime, Lady Silverhand had already begun making preparations for his arrival and had taken care of the cost for the ritual.

Upon hearing the news, Reese was overjoyed and questioned the advisor for more information. He asked if there was anything he needed to do, but the advisor said everything was taken care of. All Reese had to do was wait until the advisor came for him when it was time. Once he heard everything, Reese couldn't concentrate on his work and just kept thinking about Kaz and their reunion. After the advisor had told him all he knew, he headed back to the castle to attend to his other duties.

For the rest of the day, Reese spent his time daydreaming about Kaz and wondering how the ritual was going to go. Finally, after so many months of nothing, he had something to look forward to. It was something concrete and tangible and he just hoped the cleric could deliver on his word. Seeing as he was getting next to no work done, he decided to call it a day and head on home.

After about a month of waiting, Lady Silverhand's advisor finally came by to summon Reese and tell him that the cleric had arrived in Waterdeep. Reese was working at the station when he got the news and he was overly ecstatic to hear it. The advisor told him that the cleric had already met with Lady Silverhand and was coordinating with a local healing church. He said that Lady Silverhand was assisting with the preparations, so it wasn't going to be long until the cleric was ready to perform the ritual. Before the advisor left, he told Reese to head to the House of St. Laupsenn in a couple of hours, saying that everything should be ready by then. Reese thanked the advisor, and after the advisor left, he got up and quickly went back home to get ready.

Reese could hardly control his exhilaration as he reached his apartment, quickly freshening up and changing out of his usual work outfit. He decided to wear something casual and freshly cleaned, an outfit that Kaz would recognize. After he was done getting dressed, he packed some things for Kaz just in case. He retrieved her empty backpack from his closet and shook it off, causing some leftover debris to fall off of it. He was surprised that it was still in one piece despite going through the ordeal with the dragon in the vault. Perhaps he'd buy her a new one later. Going through her box of belongings, he assembled a set of clothes for her to wear. He was pretty sure coming back from the dead didn't include a set of clothes, so he brought some for her. Once he was done packing, he slung the bag over his back and left his apartment.

Reese hurried through the city and made his way over to the House of St. Laupsenn, an establishment belonging to the Church of Ilmater. As he got closer, he noticed the royal carriage parked out front of the building along with several Gryphon Riders patrolling the area. He figured the Open Lord had arrived and was already inside preparing for the ritual. He continued onward and approached the building before the guards stopped him. After explaining who he was and getting checked, he was allowed passed security to proceed inside. The advisor was waiting for Reese at the entrance and greeted him before ushering him to where the ritual was taking place.

The building's interior was quiet and empty, having been cleared by the guards of all civilians except for a few assistants who were going to be aiding the cleric. Reese and the advisor continued through until they arrived at a small chapel towards the back of the building. It was an open area with a large, stone slab in the middle of it. To the side flanked by two Gryphon Riders was a table with a large bag on it and a bowl of holy water. The Gryphon Riders were guarding the large amount of diamonds needed for the ritual. Elsewhere in the chamber, Reese saw several Ilmatran clergy members clothed in their religious robes and garments. Among them was the cleric from out of town who was wearing attire different from theirs. As Reese and the advisor drew near, they saw Lady Silverhand within the chapel watching the others prepare the ritual. She noticed them coming and went over to greet them.

Seeing the Open Lord approaching him, Reese gave her a slight bow as usual. "Your Grace," he said before standing back up straight.

"Detective Barkhorn," said Lady Silverhand with a smile before stopping in front of them. "You're looking rather spritely, at least much more than in recent months."

"I am, thanks to your well-received generosity in the matter. If all goes accordingly well, I'll finally be reunited with my love, so pardon me if I do seem a bit- spritely," said Reese.

"No need to worry, Detective. I'm sure my friend will be more than capable of performing the spell without a hitch. Speaking of which," said Lady Silverhand before looking to the cleric. She beckoned him over momentarily to introduce him to Reese before the start of the ritual. "This is an old associate of mine, Jean Baptiste," she said, gesturing to the cleric.

"Pleasure to meet you," said Reese as he shook the cleric's hand.

"Jean, this is the young detective I've told you about. He's the significant other of the young woman you're about to resurrect," said Lady Silverhand.

"Oh, so you're the one she mentioned," said Jean after withdrawing his hand from the handshake. "This girl of yours must be pretty important to you if you were willing to go through all that just for her. And you're pretty lucky to have gotten in the good graces with Laeral here. There aren't many people I know that could perform this high-level of a resurrection spell, not to toot my own horn or anything."

Reese just smiled then responded. "She is very important to me. If it weren't for her, I most likely wouldn't have gotten involved with the case involving the Gralhunds. Then who knows what would've become of Xanathar or the Vault, not that I was such a pivotal member or anything to begin with," he said.

"Well then, can't wait to meet her," said Jean before looking to Lady Silverhand. "The preparations are almost complete and we can soon begin. The two guards you have over there are kinda making me nervous, so if you'd be so kind, could you please have them wait outside. You and the detective may stay and watch so long as you're quiet and don't distract us."

"I'm not used to taking orders so willingly like this, so don't get used to it," said Lady Silverhand as she motioned for the guards to wait outside.

"Hey, you may be the Open Lord of Waterdeep now, but to me, you'll always be the same-old Laeral I knew from back then," said Jean before moving back into the chapel.

While Jean was directing the Ilmatran brothers and sisters around the slab, Reese and Lady Silverhand moved off to the side and took a seat in chairs placed out for them. They could clearly see the stone altar, table of diamonds, and everyone involved in the ritual from where they were sitting. Reese took off Kaz's backpack and set it down beside his chair before sitting down.

"Your Grace, the diamonds over there. Those are all yours?" asked Reese as he sat next to her while waiting for the ritual to commence.

"They are. It took a while to obtain them all, but I managed. It was quite difficult… not to mention expensive," said Lady Silverhand as she turned her head to Reese.

Reese swallowed nervously, avoiding her gaze for the meantime. "I- I have some gold saved up. If you'd like, I can-," he said before being cut off.

"There's no need. You've earned this, so there's no need to pay me back," said Lady Silverhand as she placed a hand on Reese's shoulder. "How about this? You take that gold and spend it on your dear friend here once she's brought back. I'm sure you'll need it all to get her situated back into the world of the living."

Hearing Lady Silverhand's kind words, Reese gave her a smile and nodded, focusing his attention back to Jean and the others around the altar. When everything was prepared, Jean notified him and Lady Silverhand that he was about to begin. He sat in racked anticipation as he did his best to remain calm and composed. Lady Silverhand watched eagerly as well, curious to know how a resurrection spell of that magnitude was performed while taking mental notes.

Jean started off by standing behind a podium in front of the altar and table with the diamonds. On the podium was a very old tome with runes and markings Reese couldn't discern. Jean said a few words in a language he didn't understand which were repeated by his four assistants. He then went over to the table and opened the bag of diamonds, revealing the large pile within. Next to it, he took the bowl of holy water and poured it all over the diamonds, coating it all in the blessed liquid while he said a few words. He placed the bowl back on the table before returning behind the podium, turning the page on his book to continue with the ritual. He continued to chant in a foreign language along with his assistants, focusing their energy on the stone altar in the center of them.

Reese continued to watch anxiously as nothing seemingly happened during the first few moments of the ritual. He and Lady Silverhand sat patiently as the minutes passed but then they began to see noticeable progress. Suddenly, Reese was on the edge of his seat as he noticed the diamonds on top of the pile begin to disintegrate. The particles from the diamonds formed a stream of dust that glided slowly through the air over to the stone alter. There, the dust began to form the foundation of Kaz's new body as it began to take shape. Over time, the diamonds continued to disappear as Kaz's body became more defined on the altar. Reese noticed that Kaz was being resurrected in her true self, meaning her kitsune form, which he didn't mind in the slightest. The process took roughly an hour as the diamonds had fully dissolved and formed Kaz's body.

Seeing that Kaz's body was completely restored, Reese almost got out of his seat to make his way over to her, but Lady Silverhand stopped him. "Just wait," she said in a whisper as she held on to his coat.

Reese looked back to Lady Silverhand then sat back down in his seat, heeding her words despite his eagerness to reunite with Kaz. He looked back to Jean who was still chanting behind the podium. It seemed like the ritual hadn't concluded yet so he sat patiently until Jean was completely finished. Jean raised his hands into the air and said something out loud, seemingly waiting for something to happen. The anticipation was almost too much for Reese to bear as he waited with bated breath. Suddenly, he was awestruck as Kaz breathed in a deep breath. He was about to get up again but Lady Silverhand pulled him back down into his seat, telling him to wait once more.

On the stone alter, Kaz reawakened as her soul had finally taken root in her new body. Her eyes opened wide as her lungs drew in a deep breath of fresh air, filling it to capacity with oxygen. After taking in a few deep breaths, she sat up and looked around frantically, remembering the last thing that happened before she died. She gripped her neck as she began coughing, the feeling and memory of having her throat sliced open fresh in her mind. Jean then cast a spell to calm her down as Kaz became more subdued and tranquil. Feeling herself become suddenly more composed, Kaz continued to glance around at the Ilmatran clergy and Jean.

"Who are you!? What's going on!?" asked Kaz as she sat on the cold, stone altar. She then noticed that she was naked and covered herself up using her arms and hands.

Jean went around the podium and approached Kaz, keeping a certain calmness and openness about him. "There's no need to be afraid, my dear. You're safe," he said as he motioned to one of his assistants behind Kaz. They then came over to her and draped a clean, white sheet of cloth around her body to cover her.

Kaz flinched at the person approaching behind her then relaxed as she felt the soft sheet around her shoulders. She took hold of it and better covered her exposed body before looking back to Jean. "Where am I?" she asked.

"You're in the House of St. Laupsenn in Waterdeep. I am Jean Baptiste, a friend of the Open Lord. She tasked me with bringing you back from the dead," said Jean.

Kaz just looked at him, completely confused as to what was going on. "The Open Lord asked you to bring me back? But why?" she asked.

"Well, she was only acting on someone else's behalf, someone that you know very well, actually," said Jean before motioning the assistants to leave them. The assistants acknowledged then left the chapel area, heading elsewhere into the building. "I'll leave you two to catch up," he said before motioning over to Reese to come over. As Reese promptly got up from his set, Jean walked over to him and sat down beside Lady Silverhand while Reese made his way over to Kaz.

Reese was nearly in tears as he saw Kaz right there before him, fully alive and back to her old self. As he came out of the shadows, Kaz caught full sight of him and was equally overcome with joy, nearly in tears as well. Reese finally let go of his restraint and rushed over to Kaz, embracing her in a tight hug as he finally let his emotions run freely.

At first, Reese didn't notice as he wrapped his arms around Kaz, but then he realized it. As his hands felt her bare body, he began to comprehend that it was the first time he had felt Kaz's fur. The unexpected feeling in his hands was a bit jarring at first, but then it became a pleasant one as he caressed her soft body.

Kaz hugged him back, holding him close in her arms as she cried as well. She had almost forgotten she was bare bodied as she pressed her chest against his. The two remained embraced in their hug for a good minute or so until they withdrew, looking into each other's eyes.

They were about to kiss until Kaz realized she was in her fox form while in Reese's presence. She began to panic until Reese caught on to her predicament and tried to calm her down. He placed a hand to her cheek and gave her a reassuring smile.

"It's okay, my darling. It's okay. There's no need to be afraid anymore," said Reese as he caressed her cheek.

Kaz continued to divert her gaze from Reese as she tried to muster up the courage to finally tell him her secret, something she regretted not doing before she died. "You- You don't understand. There's- something I need to tell you…," she said, placing her hand on the one Reese was using to caress her face.

Reese sighed and brought Kaz in for a hug again, holding her close. "I know. It's okay. There's no need to worry," he said softly into her hear.

Kaz thought that Reese didn't really know what she was talking about, but after seeing at how calm he was being, she wasn't so sure. "You know… what? How do you know what I'm going to say?" she asked.

"I- well, I've known that you used to lead a double life; I found out about a month or so after we met. I happened to catch you changing from your human form into your fox form one day. I was suspicious and had followed you back home after meeting at the club. I climbed the tree next to your window and saw it happen in your room above the Artistic Armory," said Reese.

Upon hearing that, Kaz scowled and slapped Reese across the face. "You knew that all this time and didn't tell me!?" she said before huffing in frustration. "Do you know how stressed out I've been because of that!?"

Reese rubbed his cheek where she had smacked him and looked to her with a smile. "I wanted to let you tell me for yourself when you felt ready," he said.

Kaz growled with disappointment then noticed something at Reese's side. "Is that- my sword? What are you doing with my sword?" she asked.

Reese glanced to his right side and remembered that he was still had Kaz's sword sheathed on his hip. "Oh this? I've kinda… been using it. Yeah," he said.

Kaz gave him an annoyed look and gestured to him to let her see it. "Using it!? For what!? I can already tell from here that it's been mistreated," she said.

"Hey, it was one of the only things I had left of you, so I took it to remember you by. I've been taking good care of it, I promise," said Reese as he unsheathed the sword and kindly handed it to her.

Kaz took the sword by the hilt and gave it a close inspection, going over the entire length of the rapier. "Took good care of it my arse. It's chipped and banged up to hell! And what's this!? Burn marks!? Have you been using my sword as a skewer in a bonfire or something?" she asked.

Reese just gave her a nervous smile then looked away, noticing Lady Silverhand and Jean still sitting in the shadows off to the side. He then looked back to Kaz and cleared his throat. "Can we finish this conversation elsewhere? There is someone that you should meet first," he said, motioning over to where Lady Silverhand was sitting.

Kaz looked over his shoulder and noticed a couple of individuals sitting off to the side and looking right at them. She let out a surprised yelp before handing back the sword to Reese and covering herself up more with the cloth sheet. "Who? I'm not exactly in an appropriate state to be meeting strangers," she said as she looked back to Reese.

"Don't worry about that. I brought some of your clothes with me," said Reese as he sheathed her sword before going over to where he was sitting before. He retrieved Kaz's backpack from beside his seat and told Lady Silverhand that after Kaz was done getting dressed, he'd introduce her to her. When he got back over to Kaz, he handed her the backpack. "I hope I didn't forget anything," he said, handing her the bag.

"Where did you get all this from?" asked Kaz as she took the bag and opened it up.

"I transferred all your belongings from the tavern to my apartment," said Reese.

Kaz gave him an odd look. "You know about the tavern?" she asked as she stopped what she was doing to look at Reese.

"I'll tell you all about it once we're out of here but first, get dressed so I can introduce you to the Open Lord," said Reese.

"The- The Open Lord is here!?" asked Kaz as she tried to hide behind Reese, glancing around him to where Lady Silverhand was.

"Yes. She was the person who made all this possible. It'd be rude not to thank her before we left," said Reese.

Kaz was visibly flustered as she began to slide herself off the table, getting down from it and hiding behind the side furthest from where Lady Silverhand was sitting. She then began to take out the clothes from her bag and get dressed. As she was doing that, Reese stood by with his back turned to her so she had some privacy. After a few brief moments, Kaz was fully dressed and presentable. She stood up and slung the empty backpack around her shoulders, standing beside Reese as she looked towards Lady Silverhand.

Seeing that Kaz and Reese were ready to go, Lady Silverhand and Jean both got up and went over to them. To calm Kaz's nerves, Reese moved closer to her and grasped her hand gently in his as he gave her a sideways smile. Kaz immediately calmed down and returned his smile with one of her own, holding on to his hand.

As Lady Silverhand finally stood before them, Reese and Kaz both gave a respectful bow. "Your Grace," they said together in unison.

"So, you're the one that this young detective has been so anxious to reunite with. It's a pleasure to meet you," said Lady Silverhand as she looked to Kaz.

Kaz smiled apprehensively as she momentarily made eye contact with Lady Silverhand before looking away. She then swallowed nervously and met her gaze. "I'm Kazuhara Kobayashi, but you can me Kaz… if you'd like, Your Grace," she said before shuffling around anxiously. "Uh, thank you so very much for all you've done to bring me back. I'm eternally grateful."

Lady Silverhand smiled before chuckling slightly. "It's not me you should thank. Your friend here is the one whom you should really be grateful to. He went through so much just to have you back in his arms again. Jean and I were just a means to an end. Without Reese, none of this would have happened," she said.

Kaz's cheeks reddened as she lovingly tightened her grip on Reese's hand. "Oh, is that so," she said. "Well, thank you anyway, Your Grace. I know how busy you are with the city's affairs, so it means a lot to me that you took the time out of your schedule to do all this. And to you too, Jean."

"It's no problem at all. I owed Reese a debt and intended on fulfilling it. I was also curious to see how the resurrection was going to be carried out, so I stuck around to witness it," said Lady Silverhand. Not wanting to keep the newly reunited couple waiting any longer, she welcomed Kaz back once more then turned to Reese. "What will you do now? Do you plan on remaining here in Waterdeep and continue with the City Watch?"

Reese took a moment to think, not having planned anything after he was reunited with Kaz. "I'm not sure. Most likely I'll continue living here for the time being and keep up the City Watch work, at least, until Kaz and I plan our future together," he said.

"I see. Well, now that our business has been concluded, I'll be heading back to the castle," said Lady Silverhand. "And remember. The city will forever be in your debt." She then gave Jean a nod before making her way back outside to her carriage.

After giving Lady Silverhand a nod back and watching her leave, Jean turned to Reese and Kaz. "Before you go, allow me to clarify a few things regarding your recent resurrection. Your new body is just like your old one and has nothing different about it. You're pure flesh and blood and you shouldn't feel any side-effects from returning from the dead… well, besides being extraordinarily hungry. Be sure to eat and drink something following your departure. Your stomach is completely empty and your body needs the sustenance," he said.

Just as he said that, Kaz's stomach rumbled as she suddenly felt her hunger growing. "Ah, well that's good to hear at least," she said.

"Do you have any questions before you leave?" asked Jean.

Kaz had plenty of questions and things she wanted to know, but nothing for Jean at the moment. She shook her head and politely said no. Seeing that he had done everything that was required of him, Jean congratulated the couple on their reunion before they left the premises. As Reese and Kaz made their way outside, the royal carriage was gone along with the small detachment of Gryphon Riders that were patrolling the area.

Wanting something to eat, Kaz and Reese left to find a place to have dinner before returning to his apartment. They found a restaurant nearby and went in for a bite to eat. After finding a table and ordering their meals, the two resumed their conversation from earlier. They were sitting across from one another at a small table. There was a lot Kaz wanted to hear from Reese, but she decided to start off with what they were last talking about.

"So, about earlier…," said Kaz as she timidly started up the conversation.

"Hmm?" asked Reese as he looked to Kaz from across the table.

"How much do you really know about me?" asked Kaz.

Reese took a moment to collect his thoughts then replied. "Just what I've seen and read from the City Watch reports. I know that the lovely human girl named Castel 'Caz' Cupidski, whom I befriended in the Formal Fighters Club, is the same person as the lovely kitsune girl named Kazuhara 'Kaz' Kobayashi, whom I had met while she was working as an employee of the former weapons shop, the Artistic Armory," he said, giving her a smile. "After I had discovered that fact, I conducted further research at the station and discovered who you really were, a member of the illustrious assassination organization simply known as the Guild."

Hearing that, Kaz began to feel uncomfortable as her secret was out in the open. "It wasn't like _I_ was an assassin or anything…," she said under her breath before returning to her normal volume. "Yet after knowing all that, you still remained friends with me despite your affiliation with the law."

"Of course I did. You haven't done anything wrong, and despite our employers being on opposite sides of a coin, they don't make up who we are. You're my friend, Kaz, and when we started dating, you became much more than that. I love you, so it doesn't matter who you work for or who I work for. All that matters is that we have each other," said Reese.

Kaz smiled at that, reaching across the table to touch Reese's hand. "I love you too," she said as she began to tear up before suddenly growing still and somber. "During my last moments… at Gralhund Villa, I thought of you and how I wouldn't be able to tell you everything. I regretted not acting sooner and because of that, I ended up where I was. I just never would've thought it would turn out like this…"

Reese took Kaz's hand in his and caressed it gently, trying to console her. "But it's not all bad though. I mean, you're back. We're together. It's almost as if nothing had happened," he said.

Kaz nodded her head and smiled again. "I guess. Despite everything that has happened, I'd say this is pretty much the best possible outcome. I finally got to tell you my secret, even though I didn't have to say anything, and you're fine with it all… right?" she asked. "But- I guess it doesn't even matter anymore since I'm no longer associated with the Guild after they fired me. I was going to tell you everything shortly after I had left their employment, but then I got caught up in some business involving the new owners of Trollskull Manor. Where are they anyway? Did Arthur manage to get Magdove the help she needed?"

Remembering that Kaz was unaware of the events that transpired after her death, Reese was about to fill her in on what happened but was stalled by their food arriving. He told Kaz he'd tell her what happened after they had a bite to eat from their meals first. Kaz was a bit nervous as she slowly began to eat her dinner. After a few brief tense moments, Reese picked up from where they had left off.

"So, not to alarm you or anything, but it's been more than a year since you had died," said Reese as he tried to sound as calm as he could. "As you can imagine, a lot has happened since then."

Kaz just looked at him, giving him her undivided attention as she prepared herself for the news. Judging from his tone and expression, she figured he had some less than good news to share with her. Remembering the situation she was last left in, she assumed the worst.

Reese began by telling her the events that happened immediately after she had died. He told her that along with herself, her companions (M'naggo and Gix) had also died at the villa. He also mentioned that Magdove didn't make it, having perished even before Arthur had left the villa to seek aid for her. He then went on to talk about how there was a funeral pyre for her and her compatriots after everything had settled. To lift her spirits, he lastly talked about how the Gralhunds were apprehended and punished for their crimes, finishing up by telling her that he witnessed her killer's (Hrabbaz) execution.

After Reese was done talking, Kaz was at first saddened to hear about the deaths of her companions but then relieved upon hearing that justice had been served. By then, she had finished her meal as her stomach was completely empty before eating and she was starving. She downed her drink then let out a content sigh.

"Whatever happened to Arthur? He's the only survivor, is he not?" asked Kaz.

"Well, that's a long story that I'll tell you later. Maybe at my apartment? The situation is kind of different at your old place of residence, so I wouldn't recommend heading back there just yet," said Reese.

Kaz thought it over for a moment and decided to take his word for it. She didn't know the whole story yet, so she decided to stay with Reese for the night to give her mind some time to digest everything. Besides, she missed him dearly and didn't want to leave his side even for just one night. After finishing up at the restaurant, they both got up and left, heading back to Reese's apartment together. During the walk back, Kaz decided to chat a bit more with Reese.

"Hey, I know you've known about my true appearance for some time now, but- I have to ask, how come you're so readily accepting of it? It must be awkward knowing that my real appearance is so drastic from my human one," said Kaz. "But, if it'll make you feel more comfortable, I can always go back to being human for you."

Reese was caught off guard by the sudden question and looked to Kaz. "There's no need for that, darling. I like your normal self," he said before thinking about the rest she said. "As for why it doesn't bother me, it's because I'm in love with who you are on the inside. It doesn't really matter what you look like because it'll still be you."

Kaz blushed at that, holding Reese's hand as she brushed up against him. "Really? So if I were say- an elf or a tabaxi, you wouldn't mind?" she asked.

"No I don't think so. They're humanoid and similar to your human form, so I probably wouldn't mind," said Reese.

"Oh? So what if I were like, a dwarf… or a gnome? Would you still stay with me then?" asked Kaz with a slight chuckle.

Reese was a bit more hesitant with his answer but decided to answer truthfully. "Uh, well… I don't know. There's quite a height difference there so maybe I'd prefer you in your human form at that point," he said without trying to sound too mean.

Kaz chuckled again as she held Reese close while they walked. "So appearances _are_ important to you," she said.

"Okay, I won't lie and say they aren't completely unimportant. I just don't think it should be what completely defines a person. But fortunately, I fancy your fox form," said Reese as he scratched the tip of his nose. "Actually… just maybe. I might even find it- um, more appealing than your human one…"

"Oh? Is that so?" asked Kaz. "What about it makes it more… appealing?" She smiled as she looked over to meet Reese's gaze.

Reese was beginning to get visibly flustered as he tried to formulate his reply in his head. He glanced away from Kaz as she continued to smile at him. "Well, I don't know how to explain it. I guess I just have a think for foxes and kitsunes," he said as he looked back to Kaz. "My family crest is the wolf, so I guess I'm just used to seeing that form. Foxes are very similar to wolves, are they not?"

"In appearances, I suppose, but they do have their differences," said Kaz, mildly offended that he was comparing foxes to wolves so casually.

"I know. I'm just saying they look rather similar," said Reese as they finally arrived at his apartment building.

Reese led Kaz inside and proceeded on up to his apartment together. Kaz was a bit excited, never having actually been to Reese's place of residence before. They were in the Castle Ward, so the area around them was relatively nice. The apartment building was clean and well maintained despite many people living there. Reese opened up the door leading into his apartment and motioned Kaz to head on in. She stepped into his abode and took a quick look around, noticing the minimalistic decor. She then took off her backpack and set it down off to the side. Reese closed the door behind him then took off his belt along with the swords, hanging it on a hook by the door. He then took off his coat and hung it beside his belt and swords on another hook. After they were both inside, they took a seat at the dining table to continue their conversation, sitting across from one another along the sides.

"Do you want to continue talking? I know you've had a long day, so I won't keep you up if you want to get some sleep," said Reese.

"I'm fine. I've been sleeping for more than a year already, so I want to get completely caught up on everything that has happened," said Kaz as she leaned forward in her seat.

"If you insist," said Reese as he got more comfortable in his seat as well.

Reese continued again by starting off with when he first met Arthur and Jerky at Evergreen Tavern. He then regaled Kaz with the tales of him, Kailani, Arthur, and Jerky during their adventures around Waterdeep. He told her almost everything, highlighting their romp through Xanathar's lair before ending with the finale inside the vault. The one thing he did not mention was his past relationship with Kailani and the tender moments the two shared, like when he invited her over and ended up sleeping in the same bed with her. Even though nothing happened, he didn't want to overload Kaz with things like that. At a later point, he'd fill her in if the right moment ever came up.

All the while, Kaz listened intently and was surprised at what he had to go through. Then she suddenly became daunted after coming to a realization. If she had lived through the Gralhund Villa Massacre, then she would've had to do all that instead of Reese. There was no way she thought she could've done anything close to what he had accomplished, so she was sort of glad she didn't have to do any of it. She just wished she didn't have to die to avoid it all.

After Reese had finished recounting the investigation and how he became a hero of Waterdeep, Kaz just smiled and told him how glad she was to have him back. She was happy and content that everything turned out all right in the end. Though, she did feel a bit guilty that she was the only one resurrected when others had died as well. As a result, she asked Reese not to tell Arthur that she was alive again to avoid an awkward reunion. Reese figured that was a good idea as well since he knew Arthur and he was already so emotionally unstable.

Since Reese had done a lot of talking, Kaz figured it was a perfect time to share something as well. Now that they were together again, she wanted to come clean and explain why she had broken up with him so many times before. She hoped they'd never have to go through something like that again and that they could remain together forever.

"Hey, Reese?" asked Kaz as she fidgeted in her seat.

"Yes?" asked Reese as he looked to her.

"Now that we're finally back together, I think it's about time I let you in on something," said Kaz.

Reese was slightly worried as to what Kaz was going to say based on her tone and facial expression. He straightened up in his seat and gave her his undivided attention. "Sure. What is it, darling?" he asked.

Kaz was nervous at first to make eye contact with Reese, but she finally managed to gather her composure and do it as she began talking. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for how I treated you before, back when we'd date for a while… then I'd break up with you only to do it over again," she said. Reese was about to speak but she stopped him by gesturing with her hand, not allowing him to interrupt her. "Please, just hear me out," she said before he gave her a nod in acknowledgement and remained quiet.

Kaz let out a sigh then continued on, explaining everything about her headaches when she remained in her human form for too long. She assured him that the only reason she broke up with him was because of the side-effects caused by changing forms. She couldn't take the pain it caused anymore and deal with the mental stress of living two lives. Thankfully, since she was no longer a member of the Guild and he accepted her true form, she didn't have to worry about all that anymore. She could remain in her regular form and not concern herself with hiding her identity. After she was done, she exhaled loudly then allowed Reese to speak his mind.

After taking everything in, Reese felt better knowing the full picture and that Kaz was comfortable enough to tell him all that. He just gave her a smile and thanked her for sharing, saying that he'd prefer if she didn't torture herself like that anymore. He told her he was completely fine and comfortable with her fox form and that there was no longer any need to be human for him; though, he did say that if she ever wanted to be human for a while, he was totally fine with it as long as she did so without harming herself.

"Now that we've gotten everything out in the open that we wanted to, what do you plan to do now?" asked Reese.

"What do you mean? Like, right at this moment or more long-term?" asked Kaz.

"Long-term. Where do you plan to live? What are you going to do for work? Stuff like that," said Reese. "But I suppose you've got a lot on your mind already, so I guess we can come back to that tomorrow. Let's just sort out where you're going to be staying for tonight and worry about the rest later."

Kaz thought about her situation for the moment then looked to Reese. "I kinda don't want to go back to the tavern, especially after what you told me. There's nothing left for me there- literally. You did all the hard work and moved all my stuff here already, so I guess this can be my new home. I mean, if that's okay with you?" she asked.

Reese smiled and gave her a nod. "Of course it's okay… that is, if you don't mind sharing the bed," he said while still smirking and looking to his bedroom.

Kaz turned in her chair to see where he was looking then looked back to him. "As long as there's enough room for the both of us, I have no problem with it," she said also with a smirk. She then yawned and stretched her arms into the air. "I am feeling a bit sleepy. Mind showing me this bed of yours?" she said, giving him a semi-sultry expression.

Reese caught the hint and promptly got up from the table. "But of course. Right this way…," he said as he went around the table and led the way over to his bedroom.

Kaz got up from the table as well and followed after him, entering the bedroom along with him. There were some candles already lit inside which illuminated the room. Reese went over to the bed and stood by it, turning towards Kaz.

"After you," said Reese as he motioned towards the bed.

Kaz gave him a smile and proceeded to get on the bed, lying down on her back while getting a feel for it. "Seems spacious enough," she said as she looked up to Reese.

"Comfortable?" asked Reese as he sat down on the side of the bed next to Kaz, gazing longingly into her eyes.

"Very…," said Kaz as she gazed back into Reese's eyes.

Even though Reese had never been that close to Kaz in her fox form, her eyes were still the same ones he had always known. He reached out and caressed Kaz's cheek with a smile, feeling the fur on her snout which was still a new sensation to him. He then leaned down closer to her and gave her a kiss, though, the anatomy of their faces made it awkward for him.

Kaz appreciated the kiss but immediately noticed that Reese was having a bit of difficulty with it. She commended his determination but she didn't feel like starting over like it was their first time. She deeply missed her man and wanted things to go smoothly from the start, like it had when she was in her human form. Later, she'd get him more accustomed to her fox form, but that night wasn't the time. Having enough of Reese's awkward kissing, Kaz smiled and patted him on the shoulder, signaling him to stop. Reese opened his eyes and withdrew, wondering what the matter was.

"Is something wrong?" asked Reese as he stopped kissing her.

Kaz smiled and let out a sigh. "Hold on, one sec," she said before changing into her human form right beneath him.

Reese looked on as Kaz the kitsune quickly changed to Caz the human right before his eyes. He almost choked up, not having seen Caz in her human form in so long, the memories of their time together flooding into his mind. "I thought I said you didn't need to be human for me. You're fine in your fox form," he said.

Caz rolled her eyes and wrapped her arms around Reese's neck, bringing him in close for a kiss. "Just shut up and kiss me," she said before locking lips with him.

Since Caz was in her human form, Reese had no problem getting back into the groove of things as he kissed her back, caressing her body with his hands. The two spent the night getting better acquainted with each other again then slept into the late hours of the next morning.

#

Over the next few months or so, Reese continued to work as a detective for the City Watch while Kaz tried to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. Initially, she mostly stayed in Reese's apartment during the day, only occasionally going out if she had to but wore a disguise when she did. She still wasn't comfortable enough running into people she knew from before she died. She didn't want to explain to each and every person she encountered how she came back from the dead, so she just avoided them until she was ready. Nearly the entire city knew about her involvement in the Gralhund Villa Massacre and how she had died there.

During the time they were still in Waterdeep, Reese eventually introduced Kaz to his parents. Kaz was nervous about meeting his parents but he reassured her that they'd be more than accepting of her into the family. She hardly knew anything about his family or background. All he ever told her was that he was from a good family and that was it. Eventually, Reese arranged a family dinner at his parents' house and invited Kaz to join them.

When Reese and Kaz arrived at his family home, she was a bit intimidated. Since Reese was from a noble family, his parents lived in the Castle Ward which was in the nicer part of the city. Reese hid the fact that he was of noble birth so he didn't scare Kaz away from attending the dinner. By the time she realized it, they were already at his parents' doorstep. She was very nervous especially since she was in her fox form, but Reese reassured her that it was going to be okay and that she shouldn't be worried about her appearance. Reese's parents were happy to meet Kaz and tried to keep the atmosphere as welcoming as possible. After getting a chance to interact with his mother and father in a casual setting, she quickly became less tense and actually enjoyed herself during the dinner.

#

After spending a couple years still living in Waterdeep, Kaz didn't feel comfortable being in the city anymore after all that had happened. Even though Reese was a hero of the city and well established amongst the community, she wanted a fresh start. While the city was somewhat safer thanks in part to his actions, there were still threats around and Reese was right in the middle of it all as a City Watch detective. The notoriety he gained due to his exploits put him in the crosshairs of all sorts of people and she didn't like that. After talking things through with Reese, they decided to leave the city and start anew somewhere else.

Before leaving Waterdeep, Reese and Kaz consolidated their belongings in preparation for the move. They sold what possessions they no longer wanted and stored what they did want to keep with Reese's parents. After finding a new place to settle down, they planned to come back for everything.

Once they left Waterdeep, Reese and Kaz wandered around the land looking for a new place to call home. They didn't have anywhere in particular that they wanted to go, so they just came and went as they pleased. If Kaz didn't like where they were currently at, they'd move on to the next place. Reese didn't mind where they settled down as long as Kaz was happy with it. He wanted her to be as comfortable as possible with their new living arrangements.

It had been a month since Reese and Kaz left Waterdeep and they were once again on the road. They had just left their last potential new home and were on their way to scout the next possible location. Reese decided that aimlessly wandering around wasn't the best idea, so before they left their last location, he chose their next destination and planned out their route to get there. Soon enough, they found themselves in the countryside, seeing golden fields of wheat and rolling hills.

"I hope this next place is a winner. I'm beginning to get tired of not having a place to call home," said Kaz as she adjusted the straps of her backpack. "Are we still on the right path to get there?"

Reese pulled out the map from a pocket inside his coat and took a gander at it. "We are. It should be coming up shortly," he said before folding the map back up and stowing it away.

"What's this place called again?" asked Kaz.

"It's called… what was it- oh! Right. It's called the Kingdom of Gilderland," said Reese.

"Do you know anything about it?" asked Kaz as she looked to Reese.

"Not really. Haven't been this far away from Waterdeep before," said Reese.

They continued down the road and came to the top of a hill that provided a great view of the surrounding landscape. As they reached the crest, they saw the capital in the distance with the royal castle towering over the surrounding structures. Reese and Kaz looked on, hopeful that the kingdom would prove to be everything they'd been looking for.

"Well, let's not keep it waiting," said Reese as he continued on down the hill. Kaz gave a hopeful smile and followed after him, feeling optimistic about their next destination.


End file.
